Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag stealth video sneaks into view

Most of my attempts at stealth in previous Assassin's Creed games look like something you'd see in an episode of The Three Stooges. Sure, I'll mingle with a bustling crowd to pass a few guards, but something will always go awry, and I'll be left with a pile of bodies lying at my feet. But the latest gameplay video for Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag is doing its best to show how the overt can become more covert

You won't see many new surprises in the latest in Ubisoft's video armada other than the diving bell, which you'll need to delve into the underwater caves of the Caribbean. The bell comes at a price, however, as you leave all your gear back on the ship. I suppose deep water diving can be a bit difficult when you have 50 or so pounds of weapons and armor weighing you down.

We also get a brief glimpse of Havana, which Black Flag's director, Ashraf Ismail, says was built as a homage to Assassin's Creed 2's sprawling cities. I'll admit, everything about the city looks pretty familiar, but hopefully Black Flag has enough fresh air in its sails to push the series forward.

Assassin's Creed IV's coming to the PC a few weeks after the original October 29 release date, though Ubisoft still hasn't provided a more specific date. Here's hoping we'll hear more sooner rather than later.